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[Q] Group SMS

So on my iphone I could have group conversations with 3 other people and it would all be in the same conversation window, I but now, on my one x, when I try this it just sends to everyone individually. It works on my friends droid because he has the verizon messaging app which isn't available to att users (I think)
anyways I was just wondering if there was a simple solution to this (I've tried two 3rd party messaging apps with no luck)

Yeah, you're not gonna be able to get that, AFAIK. The "WhatsApp Messenger" app does this, but that's not actual text messaging, it's an IM app that uses your contacts phone numbers to identify them, and can only message other WhatsApp users.
Just for my own curiosity, when you would do this with your iPhone, would all the other participants be iPhone users? Or would it be a mixed bag of BB/Android/WP7/iPhone?

You should check out the app 'GroupMe'.
Great app that can do either real texting or over the internet messages.
The catch is, you have to message a 'Group number' and GroupMe then forwards that message on to everyone else.
This enables you to add/remove people to a conversation.
You can make these numbers private or public
I'm pretty sure they support every os and you can also just use their website to send messages.
It's all free which is the best part.

This is one of my biggest gripes with Android ICS. My Galaxy Nexus wasn't able to do group SMS either and, coming from an iPhone where I had lots of groups, it's a pain in the ass.
Also, using 3rd party apps that require every other person you want to chat with to also have the app is not a real solution. GroupMe is even worse than the rest b/c if someone EVER had the app (and no longer does) it doesn't recognize that and just doesn't deliver the message at all.

NextNexus said:
This is one of my biggest gripes with Android ICS. My Galaxy Nexus wasn't able to do group SMS either and, coming from an iPhone where I had lots of groups, it's a pain in the ass.
Also, using 3rd party apps that require every other person you want to chat with to also have the app is not a real solution. GroupMe is even worse than the rest b/c if someone EVER had the app (and no longer does) it doesn't recognize that and just doesn't deliver the message at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The awesome thing about GroupMe is you don't need the App at all. You can use their service purely through texting.

[email protected] said:
The awesome thing about GroupMe is you don't need the App at all. You can use their service purely through texting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You didn't read what I wrote. If someone EVER had the app and got rid of it then the app doesn't recognize that and simply doesn't deliver the message at all. This is even worse than simply not being able to message people who don't have the app b/c now the sender has no clue whether their messages were delivered to each recipient.

NextNexus said:
You didn't read what I wrote. If someone EVER had the app and got rid of it then the app doesn't recognize that and simply doesn't deliver the message at all. This is even worse than simply not being able to message people who don't have the app b/c now the sender has no clue whether their messages were delivered to each recipient.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I am not mistaken, If the user changed his settings through the web interface he could set it up to be texting only again.
I have never ran in to this issue personally. When I removed the App from my phone I would still get the messages, just not through texts until I switched the settings.
Sorry for not fully understanding the first time.

[Q] Android 4.4 Hangouts SMS issue

Hi there,
My first post here, although I've hung out, anonymously, looking at the resources within the forum.
Today I received my Nexus 5. It's a lovely bit of hardware, but I've come from an HTC phone (4.1.1 Desire X) and I love the Sense UI; just so you know, I hate stock 4.4 thus my post below is in utter exasperation
I'm having an issue with trying to send an SMS. Unfortunately, I have to use Hangouts (I refused to update from Google Talk on the Desire X) and I'm finding that I can't sending a frigging SMS to a colleague at work because I have his Gmail email address as part of his contact details!!!
This is absolutely the most retarded thing in a Phone OS that I have come across, ever. Unfortunately, as an early adopter of this phone, I'm stuck without an alternative. So far as I can see, in Hangouts, I would have to type in the phone number manually whilst being logged out of my Gmail accounts in Hangouts to send an SMS, or maybe deleting the user's email address would suffice.
Am I missing some way of sending an SMS that's not completely obvious here?

My N5 arrives tomorrow, so I can't be much help with the app itself, but if it's really confusing/awful you can download an alternative SMS app from the play store and set it as your default.
Edit: I hear you on hating hangouts. I cant stand the version they have on 4.0/4.1/4.2/4.3, been sticking with talk also.

I don't have it in my hands yet to test, but I'm fairly sure once you've opened the "new hangout" window, you can tap on their name on the upper left and switch to SMS from Hangout message.

two00lbwaster said:
Hi there,
My first post here, although I've hung out, anonymously, looking at the resources within the forum.
Today I received my Nexus 5. It's a lovely bit of hardware, but I've come from an HTC phone (4.1.1 Desire X) and I love the Sense UI; just so you know, I hate stock 4.4 thus my post below is in utter exasperation
I'm having an issue with trying to send an SMS. Unfortunately, I have to use Hangouts (I refused to update from Google Talk on the Desire X) and I'm finding that I can't sending a frigging SMS to a colleague at work because I have his Gmail email address as part of his contact details!!!
This is absolutely the most retarded thing in a Phone OS that I have come across, ever. Unfortunately, as an early adopter of this phone, I'm stuck without an alternative. So far as I can see, in Hangouts, I would have to type in the phone number manually whilst being logged out of my Gmail accounts in Hangouts to send an SMS, or maybe deleting the user's email address would suffice.
Am I missing some way of sending an SMS that's not completely obvious here?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This app simply uses the word "Hangouts" over "SMS" so basically new hangout means new text message unless you specify a hangout chat. If the actual hangouts for either is unavailable then a text message will be automatically sent to the number. New "SMS" is the plus button and you can immediately type the number or scroll to find your contact. Everything after seems to work just like iMessage.

koriflame said:
My N5 arrives tomorrow, so I can't be much help with the app itself, but if it's really confusing/awful you can download an alternative SMS app from the play store and set it as your default.
Edit: I hear you on hating hangouts. I cant stand the version they have on 4.0/4.1/4.2/4.3, been sticking with talk also.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems to be the downside of having the device nice and early, noone else has one to confirm the issue.
Unfortunately, the other apps don't seem to work as they have to be rebuilt due to the changes that 4.4 has introduced

two00lbwaster said:
Seems to be the downside of having the device nice and early, noone else has one to confirm the issue.
Unfortunately, the other apps don't seem to work as they have to be rebuilt due to the changes that 4.4 has introduced
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure what problem you are having. I just got my N5 today and when I create a new message in Hangouts and choose a contact (one that has a gmail.com email address as well as a cell number) I have the choice between starting a chat or sending an SMS to the phone number. Do you not see this?

Vincent Law said:
I don't have it in my hands yet to test, but I'm fairly sure once you've opened the "new hangout" window, you can tap on their name on the upper left and switch to SMS from Hangout message.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll have a look to see if that works.
KinghtMare. said:
This app simply uses the word "Hangouts" over "SMS" so basically new hangout means new text message unless you specify a hangout chat. If the actual hangouts for either is unavailable then a text message will be automatically sent to the number. New "SMS" is the plus button and you can immediately type the number or scroll to find your contact. Everything after seems to work just like iMessage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never had an iPhone, which I'm guessing from the name is where that messaging application comes from. I tried to send a message to a collegue, and it sent it as a hangout, not an SMS. There is no option not to send it as an hangout, any more so than there is an option to send the message as a hangout, so I can't send him text messages.

davekr said:
I'm not sure what problem you are having. I just got my N5 today and when I create a new message in Hangouts and choose a contact (one that has a gmail.com email address as well as a cell number) I have the choice between starting a chat or sending an SMS to the phone number. Do you not see this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, yes, if I type in the person's name I now see several entries for the person, one is the Hangouts account which is top and the other is for SMS.
However, if I scroll down and select the person as I was doing originally, even though it says his phone number, it defaults to hangouts and you can't change it.
I don't have particularly many people in my contacts list so I prefer to scroll and select, as it's probably quicker for me, rather than type into the search box.

you need to verify your phone number before being able to use it for sms
hit the plus button and add a contact...then select the contact's name from the top of the screen (next to the green handouts icon), and choose their phone number instead of their email address
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app

n7of9 said:
you need to verify your phone number before being able to use it for sms
hit the plus button and add a contact...then select the contact's name from the top of the screen (next to the green handouts icon), and choose their phone number instead of their email address
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Quite aside from not wishing to verify my number with Google, I shouldn't have to. SMS should be completely devoid of this kind of requirement as it is very basic mobile phone functionality.
I have spent quite some considerable time today turning off location services and and any data sent back to Google. I've also been disabling certain Google Apps and would disable more if it would let me. I've also found that App Ops seems to have been disabled too, so I can't even control what third party apps do; which was part of the reason for getting a 4.3+ phone.
At the moment, it seems that I can send messages, and hopefully something like Contacts+ will be updated to work with 4.4 and I can then disable Hangouts.

you can disable hangouts now, you just need to install an alternative sms app if you don't like the default...try Handcent
and don't be angry when someone is trying to help you
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app

It's not hangout it's u
Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 12:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:31 AM ----------
digweed4me said:
It's not hangout it's u
If u don't know how to use hangout tell google to put out I message crap on your nexus 5
Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk

two00lbwaster said:
Quite aside from not wishing to verify my number with Google, I shouldn't have to. SMS should be completely devoid of this kind of requirement as it is very basic mobile phone functionality.
I have spent quite some considerable time today turning off location services and and any data sent back to Google. I've also been disabling certain Google Apps and would disable more if it would let me. I've also found that App Ops seems to have been disabled too, so I can't even control what third party apps do; which was part of the reason for getting a 4.3+ phone.
At the moment, it seems that I can send messages, and hopefully something like Contacts+ will be updated to work with 4.4 and I can then disable Hangouts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So install your own SMS app...4.4 allows you to use any SMS app as the default App, and then you can even uninstall Hangouts if you want to.
That's the beauty of a Nexus device.

n7of9 said:
you can disable hangouts now, you just need to install an alternative sms app if you don't like the default...try Handcent
and don't be angry when someone is trying to help you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I'm just angry that Google have just foisted the Hangouts app onto 4.4 users when it clearly isn't user friendly enough and makes one of my most common uses of the phone difficult.
I'll try Handcent. Contacts+/Messages+ doesn't currently seem to support 4.4 as you can't set it as the default messaging application and you can't send outgoing messages (It looks like you can send messages but they just disappear and aren't sent.)
hotleadsingerguy said:
So install your own SMS app...4.4 allows you to use any SMS app as the default App, and then you can even uninstall Hangouts if you want to.
That's the beauty of a Nexus device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The issue that I'm having is that not a lot of messaging applications support 4.4 yet. And as I've found with Messages+ if it doesn't support it you can have issues with messages that don't send/disappear.
You can uninstall Hangouts updates, you can't uninstall it. And if you uninstall the updates, you can't disable it.

Sliding messaging was updated to be compatible with 4.4, you can try it out
Sent from my AOSP on Flo using Tapatalk

I'm with the OP on this, I received my N5 today and it's almost impossible to start a new SMS conversation from within the app.
The app itelf is quite nice, but the SMS experience is sub-standard to say the least. I know I can go install another SMS app - but that's not the point, it's like shipping the phone/software with no dialer in it.

Scottland said:
I'm with the OP on this, I received my N5 today and it's almost impossible to start a new SMS conversation from within the app.
The app itelf is quite nice, but the SMS experience is sub-standard to say the least. I know I can go install another SMS app - but that's not the point, it's like shipping the phone/software with no dialer in it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I must be a brain scientist or a rocket surgeon or something... all I had to do to create to new SMS was click the "+" then start typing my contact's name or number. If my contact has a phone number associated with it I can select that for an SMS or their email for a hangout message......

Im confused and whether i understand your question properly. Anyways in the actual recipients message you can click their name and switch from a SMS conversation to a google talk/hangouts message. Not sure if that helped or not. You can more clearly see what i am talking about in this video. http://youtu.be/0ZFc3NFqfFk

BmoreTHOR said:
I must be a brain scientist or a rocket surgeon or something... all I had to do to create to new SMS was click the "+" then start typing my contact's name or number. If my contact has a phone number associated with it I can select that for an SMS or their email for a hangout message......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You must be
I've just tried to send an SMS to my mum, on her contact card she has a mobile number and email address. When I try to send a message, at the top I only have "Hangouts" as an option.
If I try another contact (who does have a G+ account), I have the option of SMS or Hangouts.

I also discovered Now SMS recently... Very nice looking simple UI that fits with recent Android conventions. Using it on my Nexus 7 3G since it didn't come with any SMS client.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

No option to answer WhatsApp message

When I receive a WhatsApp message, I can see the message and read it,
but I cant reply to it vwith the Gear S2, it only shows me the option "open on phone"
Does any one know if this is a bug or is it because I dont have a Samsung phone?

It is not a bug. Even witch Samsung phone it is not straightforward.
Look at the app Chat Hub, it does allow you to answer WhatsApp and other social services. It is not free though...

OnnoJ said:
It is not a bug. Even witch Samsung phone it is not straightforward.
Look at the app Chat Hub, it does allow you to answer WhatsApp and other social services. It is not free though...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So the only way to get it work without a Samsung Smartphone is to download that App?

The most recent Whatsapp update did something to gear s2. Now I don't see the "read more" icon. Sigh..

That's more than Handcent will do. If I get a message in handcent, the watch just displays a message to check phone. Doesn't show the message, or who its from or give us a way to reply to it. I've written to handcent and they have completely ignored me. I have since quit using handcent and went back to the stock messaging app.

bendez1985 said:
The most recent Whatsapp update did something to gear s2. Now I don't see the "read more" icon. Sigh..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same problem, help please.

Info about hangout and whatsapp notifications

Hi, I couldn't find anywhere such an info. This could be a potential reason for me not to buy this watch.
Is it possibile to directly start an hangout chat or a whatsapp chat directly from the watch? I mean can I only answer to a recieved hangout or whatsapp message I guess, but can I even send a new message directly from the watch?
I own a Huawei Watch and, at least for Google hangout, I can start a new chat directly from the smartwatch.
Thanks in advance, this is really important for me.

I'm using an app called NOTIFICATION STYLE GEAR for receiving and sending whatsapp messages, it can also send & receive emails, FB, Google Now,Hangout and more.
When you receive a whatsapp message it stores the contact and you can reply at any time.
But there is just one problem with the app, it can only store your messages for as long as the watch is on, if you turn it off, you loose your messages/whatsapp contacts. Then you need wait for the person to send another message again.
It's available on play store, your get 20 free tries, then you need to purchase the app.
It's not perfect, but at the moment this is the only app I have found that you can reply to a contract stored on your watch.
There is also another app called what history. Which let's you store whatsapp messages, the developer said you will be able to reply to messages in the next update.

First of all thank you very much for your answer.
I thought that you could answer any notification without having to use a dedicated app, I mean, I though you could answer a whatsapp or a hangout message on your own on the watch without any app. Isn't it true?
I was asking just whether or not you need a separate app to start a new chat on your own.
Now, from your answer it seems like you need an app to reply to a chat message too. This is scaring. 😱😱😱
I mean, then what kind of notification you can answer on your own on the watch, just sma and email?

You can answer a message: whatsapp , mail or hanghouts. but you cannot start one.
Using the S3 with the Oneplus 3T

Pandor said:
You can answer a message: whatsapp , mail or hanghouts. but you cannot start one.
Using the S3 with the Oneplus 3T
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, this sound better
Then, the app Iamac was talking about is needed to start a conversation with hangout or WhatsApp directly from the watch?

Hello Aratheba, the app I use works like this.
When you receive a whatsapp message it stores it on the watch. You can delete the message but it will keep the senders name. That way you can reply at any time. I'm not sure if it is the same for hangout messages as I do not use it.
As I said earlier, the downside to this app is when you turn the watch off, as it looses all the contacts and messages. And you have to wait till you receive another message then it stores it again.
This app works well as you get a pop up on the watch with the senders whatsapp profile pic. There are many settings within the app for different vibrate patterns for different message types. For example, you can have 3 vibrates for whatsapp and 5 for hangout. You can also change the font size to make it either easier to read or smaller to fit more of the message on the watch screen.
I hope this helps you.

lacmac said:
Hello Aratheba, the app I use works like this.
When you receive a whatsapp message it stores it on the watch. You can delete the message but it will keep the senders name. That way you can reply at any time. I'm not sure if it is the same for hangout messages as I do not use it.
As I said earlier, the downside to this app is when you turn the watch off, as it looses all the contacts and messages. And you have to wait till you receive another message then it stores it again.
This app works well as you get a pop up on the watch with the senders whatsapp profile pic. There are many settings within the app for different vibrate patterns for different message types. For example, you can have 3 vibrates for whatsapp and 5 for hangout. You can also change the font size to make it either easier to read or smaller to fit more of the message on the watch screen.
I hope this helps you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. Now it's crystal clear.
It's not perfect but it's a beginning. It would be interesting to know whether it really works for hangout too.
Thanks anyway

What do you use hangouts for? I just tried it.
With the app I use, it isn't very good. I don't see any emails. If I use sms I can receive but no option to reply.
You are meant to receive hangout messages with the watch's own app, when I tried it, I got no notifications. There is a list of app notification to choose from and hangouts was selected.
For emails I use a android phone app called MY MAIL it merges all my email accounts into one app and I can use this with notification wear app I have for the watch.

lacmac said:
What do you use hangouts for? I just tried it.
With the app I use, it isn't very good. I don't see any emails. If I use sms I can receive but no option to reply.
You are meant to receive hangout messages with the watch's own app, when I tried it, I got no notifications. There is a list of app notification to choose from and hangouts was selected.
For emails I use a android phone app called MY MAIL it merges all my email accounts into one app and I can use this with notification wear app I have for the watch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use hangout way more than whatsapp. There are several reasons for.me to prefer hangout over whatsapp, but it would be ot here.

I also use Hangouts more than Whatsapp, as it is used as my company's chat app. Have been using Wear for the last 2 years, and have never found a reason to start a message on the watch. Trying to find the contact you need would take forever. Replying to a message i done a few times, probably now a bit more as the S3 has a " keyboard".

It's easier than you think: you just don't have to archive chat and you can easily add a new message to an already existing thread. No need to search for contacts.
Moreover I found that voice dictation on wear it's almost perfect.
And, if you try last preview for wear 2.0 you even have keyboard and hand writing. ?

Going insane. Please help Google assistant and SMS!

When I use Google assistant to send a message it randomly doesn't record the message in the text app. The recipient receives it ok but it doesn't show up.
I've tried about 10 other SMS apps they're the same.
Is there a problem with Huaweis app that Google assistant can't access? Any help please?

applehater00 said:
When I use Google assistant to send a message it randomly doesn't record the message in the text app. The recipient receives it ok but it doesn't show up.
I've tried about 10 other SMS apps they're the same.
Is there a problem with Huaweis app that Google assistant can't access? Any help please?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure.. but with all Google apps I give them full control/permission and allow secondary launch etc.
Give that a try
Sent from my MHA-AL00 using Tapatalk

Permissions are all granted. What do you mean secondary launch? You mean try a different launcher?

Hello
do you mean that during recording the text doesn't show up , but once you leave the record button it goes to the recipient instantly without the ability to check it or what ? a pic might help as i didn't understand much

-Hope- said:
Hello
do you mean that during recording the text doesn't show up , but once you leave the record button it goes to the recipient instantly without the ability to check it or what ? a pic might help as i didn't understand much
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah ok no it's simpler than that. Speech to text etc works fine.
The outgoing message does not appear in the messages or text app. For some reason Google assistant understands the speech and sends the text, but doesn't communicate with the SMS app to say "this is what I just sent so stick it in the convo list". Seems to bypass the SMS app and I've tried about10 of them now. Same problem each time.
I think it's confirmijg what I always thought i.e. android is a perpetually buggy unfinished system!

Hello again
-not sure - maybe these command may work
“Show me my messages”
also why not trying to check the messages with Hangouts that may help

Appreciate you trying to help.
The issue is that the outgoing messages don't show up at all when done from GA. In any app. Show me my messages whilst it might work is not an adequate solution as I shouldn't have to speak that into GA to see my full convos. That's what the apps are for.
BUT your suggestion was brilliant because I tried that and it shows received messages only (which isn't the issue).
So then I tried to say "show me my SENT messages" and surprisingly it did manage to show just the messages I'd sent BUT BIZARRELY IT MISSES OUT ANY MESSAGES SENT BY G.A.. !!????
So in summary it looks as though it sends messages fine but doesn't record it anywhere. When asked to tell me what it has sent it then seems to search the stock apps (that it doesn't communicate TO) and gives me that info only. So even GA doesn't know what it's sent ! Wtf??
(Hangouts doesn't seem to do SMS)

"The Assistant only uses Messenger as the outgoing source for SMS when Hangouts is the default. If you look in messenger you will see the text that you sent through the assistant. It is a bit defeatest from the standpoint of the Fi Hangouts integration and the team is aware."
this is from google forums and yes Hangouts show outgoing msgs

By messenger they mean what? Many apps seem to think they're called messenger.
As for hangouts it does nothing. Showing up only 4 convos and none of them are SMS convos. I've looked and looked and there is no option to integrate SMS into hangouts. I've given it all permissions too.
Are we on the same version of Mate 9 ? Am I missing something?

Open the Hangouts app .
At the top, tap Menu Menu.
Tap Settings and thenSMS and then SMS enabled.
Select the text messaging app you want as the default.
try this

I suspect we have different versions of hangouts. No such options in mine anywhere

``Show me my hangouts sms messages`` may help out a bit
i think also facebook messenger can help as it can read sms check it

-Hope- said:
``Show me my hangouts sms messages`` may help out a bit
i think also facebook messenger can help as it can read sms check it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nope my hangouts does nothing. doesnt support sms at all
fb messenger is evil, doesn't it drain masses of battery?

please change the message app to what you want to use and try again steps:
in your settings search for Default app settings then, change sms app, i think the default would be hangouts.

-Hope- said:
please change the message app to what you want to use and try again steps:
in your settings search for Default app settings then, change sms app, i think the default would be hangouts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks but despite having hangouts installed the only messaging app that comes up as an option is the stock Huawei message app. Hangouts isn't listed. There is also no setting anywhere within hangouts to use SMS. Our versions must be different. I have the latest version.

My bad, hangouts lost the integration long time ago :/
However did you but I want your to check the fb it it can detect the assistant out going messages, or else, if you didn't try Android Messages app please check it might help.

-Hope- said:
My bad, hangouts lost the integration long time ago :/
However did you but I want your to check the fb it it can detect the assistant out going messages, or else, if you didn't try Android Messages app please check it might help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought the android messenger ap which is the one they want us to use now might work, but it sadly doesn't.
I'll trial it with facebook and let you know soon,
Thanks again for your efforts trying to help me out :good:

I'll try my best

Nope FB messenger doesn't record the outgoing text either. Huge flaw in Google assistant!!

I think they fixed it in latest update